The Great Bell Tower of the Telecommunications Bureau was the tallest building in Los Angeles in this era.

On the roof of the five-storey office building, there is a self-striking electric clock that strikes the clock at noon every day at 12 o'clock.

When the time is announced, people within a radius of several kilometers can hear it.

At six o'clock in the evening, the chime bell will ring for the second time. When the bell rings, people know that it is about to get dark.

In the evening, at dusk, Zhu Xiaohua rode a motorcycle and appeared under the bell tower of the telecommunications bureau as promised.

Gao Shijie was wearing a thick coat, half-covering his face with a towel, and leaned against the corner.

Zhu Xiaohua directly parked the motorcycle in front of him and honked the horn. Gao Shijie was startled and took two steps back.

Gao Shijie asked: "Did you bring the photos and negatives?" ”

Zhu Xiaohua: "I didn't bring it." But if you're sure you want to buy it, it'll be delivered to you in minutes. ”

Gao Shijie: "There is no backup this time. Is this the last one? ”

Zhu Xiaohua: "The last one." ”

Gao Shijie: "You make a price." ”

Zhu Xiaohua: "Usually photos and negatives like this are not less than 1,000 yuan. ”

Gao Shijie was so anxious that he jumped to his feet: "This is too expensive, you might as well just grab it." ”

Zhu Xiaohua: "I don't do anything illegal." I shoot public performances, and if it's too expensive, you don't have to buy it. ”

Gao Shijie paced back and forth along the corner of the wall, obviously the price of a thousand yuan was still much more expensive than he imagined.

In this era, for a thousand dollars, you can buy a house in the city center.

He thought about it again and again, and said as if he had made up his mind: "Okay, a thousand, a thousand." I'll go out, you go get the picture. Half an hour later, we were still meeting here. ”

Gao Shijie quickly walked west along the corner, obviously to prepare money.

Zhu Xiaohua rode a motorcycle around the bell tower.

He had already brought the photos and negatives with him, but he was afraid that Gao Shijie would play tricks, so he said that he didn't bring them.

He rode his bike leisurely through the streets, lined with people coming home from work. These people left in twos and threes, either holding children, carrying a few side foods, or carrying fish and vegetables that they had just bought from the vegetable market.

Further on is the state-run store, where the clerks are dressed in dark blue. These people came out of it and discussed the sales of the day and the wealthy customers they met.

He cycled six or seven kilometers north along the street, then turned west and then south. After a big circle, I rode back to the bell tower, and more than half an hour had passed.

Gao Shijie was already waiting there, holding a brown leather bag in his hand.

When he saw Zhu Xiaohua coming, he beckoned from afar.

Zhu Xiaohua took out the photos and negatives. Gao Shijie opened the leather bag, and inside was a dark green unity banknote.

Gao Shijie took out the banknotes, handed them to Zhu Xiaohua, and said, "Count them, one hundred, exactly one thousand." ”

When he said this, his face was full of pain and determination.

Zhu Xiaohua held up the negative, but did not give it to him, and said: "A thousand yuan, if you don't have it, don't force it." ”

Gao Shijie stuffed the money into Zhu Xiaohua's hand and snatched the negatives and photos in his hand.

He looked at the negative against the horizon and made sure it was correct. I picked up the photo again and looked at it, and said, "This is a complete disaster." If I find out next time, and there is this photo, I will look for you again. ”

Zhu Xiaohua nodded: "Don't worry, I'm an honest businessman." Unless you make another mistake yourself. ”

Gao Shijie put the photos and negatives in his pocket, and he decided to destroy them as soon as he returned home.

The two parties confirmed that the transaction was complete, and Zhu Xiaohua left with 1,000 yuan.

After returning home, Zhu Xiaohua handed over 1,000 yuan to Zhu Xiaoyan and asked her to keep it.

Zhu Xiaoyan saw another thick pile of banknotes and asked, "Where did this money come from, did the photo studio earn it?" ”

Zhu Xiaohua said: "No, I earned it by taking performance photos for others. ”

In the following days, the business of taking art photos in photo studios and tourist photos in scenic spots entered the right track. Jin Damin took over Zhu Xiaohua's photo and was responsible for taking pictures of tourists in the scenic square.

Zhu Xiaohua freed his hands and was able to concentrate on developing the photo.

Every time a roll was taken in the photo studio downstairs and in the scenic square, someone quickly sent it to the darkroom, and Zhu Xiaohua washed it out in time. In this way, the time to take photos is again greatly reduced.

After the customer takes the photo, he waits for about seven or eight hours until the photo is dry and can be picked up.

On this day, Zhu Xiaohua was developing photos in the darkroom.

A group of people came to the door of the photo studio downstairs, some men and women, most of whom were in their thirties and forties, burly and tall. Female, twenty or thirty years old, with a stout physique, a mellow and beautiful voice, like singing Peking Opera.

A man in his forties with thick eyebrows shouted at the top of his voice: "Is your boss here, let him come out." ”

Xiao Ding asked, "Is there something wrong?" ”

The man with thick eyebrows said: "I am Lu Buxin of the Quyi Troupe, and your boss should return the costumes borrowed from our troupe." ”

Zhu Xiaohua was stunned for a moment, and suddenly remembered the two costumes that he took away from the Quyi Troupe at that time.

He turned around and went downstairs, and met Xiao Ding, who was about to look for him. Zhu Xiaohua nodded, indicating that he already knew.

Zhu Xiaohua walked up to Lu Buxin, a man with thick eyebrows, and said, "I am." ”

Lu Buxin took out a desk calendar paper from his pocket, turned the back towards Zhu Xiaohua, and said, "You left the words on it, right?" ”

On the back of the desk calendar is written, "Two costumes, rented for a few days, and the original will be returned." Seagull Photo Studio. ”

Zhu Xiaohua nodded and confirmed: "I stayed here, and I waited for a long time and no one was there." I left a note and money. ”

Lu Buxin said: "I didn't see the money, I only knew that we were missing two costumes." And by now, it's been more than two days early, and your rent is estimated to be not enough to pay. Hurry up and return the costume. ”

Zhu Xiaohua went to the back room to find the silver-white armor costume, handed it to Lu Buxin, and said, "It's our fault." Rent, you name a price, and I will pay you. ”

Lu Buxin weighed the costume and handed it to a member behind him.

Then he said, "What about another costume?" The long dress of "Thief of Fairy Grass", we performed recently, and we are going to use it soon. ”

Zhu Xiaohua suddenly remembered that the long skirt costume was still with Wang Mazi's tailor.

On the same day, he sent his sister Zhu Xiaoyan to pick it up, but his sister returned empty-handed, saying that Wang Mazi was not in the tailor's shop. Later, he turned around and was busy with art photos and Jiaozigou recruitment, so he put the matter on hold.

At this time, when I think about it, this costume should still be in Wang Mazi's tailor shop and has not been taken back.

Zhu Xiaohua said: "You wait for me, I'll go and get it back immediately." ”

Zhu Xiaohua asked Xiao Ding to beckon these people to sit, and rode a motorcycle straight to Wang Mazi's tailor shop.

In the tailor's shop, Wang Mazi was immersed in sewing clothes.

Heard the sound of a motorcycle and raised his head.